Certainly a fine addition to the Redwall series: the conclusion feels a bit rushed but still provides the satisfying ending.

**Written by an author of over 20 books**
One of my favorite "Redwall" books so far.

People describe many of Brian Jacques' books as "swashbuckling", and that is exactly what this story is. The high-seas adventure, and each character swept along by the story, is enchanting. Exactly what you'd expect from a Redwall story: the good guys win (but not without strength, teamwork, and sacrifice,) and the bad guys lose. A little predictable, but a good time nevertheless.

Were days that long, was grass so green, In seasons of youthful desire, Roaming o’er seas of aquamarine, Where westering suns drown in fire? ’Cross mountain, forest and river, I’d wander, carefree and bold, Never heeding the days to come, When I’d wake up, slow and old. Oh, how the silent summer noon, Warms dusty memories, In an orchard, midst my dreams, ’Neath verdant, shadeful trees. Come visit me, you little ones, Hear stories, songs and rhymes, A roving warrior’s saga, Of far-gone, golden times.

“Hurr hurr hurr, ee Skipper a’most chopped moi tail offen in yon doors. Oi bee’s most speedy furr a mole-choild, hurr hurr!”

Funny how we at Redwall take things for granted, isn’t it, Friar? A bed and a room of your own: simple things. But if you were a slave who’d never had one, and if you’d lived in a hole in the ground for long seasons, it would be very different. Properly cooked food, lots of new friends, so that you’re not alone anymore. Add to that a comfortable room and a clean bed. That’s why the poor fellow’s weeping—he’s overcome by it all.”

When ye get the good times, don’t stop to mope about the bad ’uns. Enjoy yoreself while ye can.”

This book was so fun! The characters were fun and hilarious! You had the parts at the book that made you laugh and other parts that made you stand on the edge of your chair or the edge of your bed. This is a book that I would totally read again and would totally recommend for other kids my age.

Although this is the first Redwall I listened to and I find it very enjoyable, it is not among my favorites of the Redwall series. So far, the top two spots belong to Mossflower and High Rhulain.

Triss was bottom of the barrel Jacques. This book really suffered from his unbelievable number of characters. It's absolutely silly to name a character and a page later to kill them off. Jacques will do this time and time again. This time, operating with three different storylines, Jacques requires the reader to have a playbook on hand at all times to navigate through the plethora of animal names. Furthermore, the names are not memorable as he has, to this point, exhausted the familiar names of the past and gone to acid-induced names that are ridiculous and unmemorable.

This book moves along fairly quickly, because he cuts out the number of feasts that this group of animals have. Still, there is a character who makes up for that blessed reduction with unending demands for food. Scarum is a terrible character who is insufferable for his yearning for food.

Overall, this book is really pretty bad. Still, I'm reading this books just to finish them and be finished with the series. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel soon!

Another awesome story. Triss is one of my favorite Redwall characters and has been since I was a kid--brave, smart, kind, and determined to save her friends.

Another amazing book from Redwall! Unfortunately, they will never be any new ones. Quite recently, Brian Jacques passed away and part of my childhood died with them. The Redwall books literally got me through my horrible middle school years. Jacques was the first person I ever wrote fan mail to (he didn't reply but I got a lovely packet from the Redwall people with a cool bookmark). I started with either Redwall or the sequel of Mattimeo and continued reading endlessly from there. I thought I hadn't previously read Triss... maybe I just hadn't finished it. But it was a familiar and comforting story to return to.
Triss is the tale of a female squirrel who is a slave at the kingdom of Riftgard, ruled by evil ferrets. When she and her two friends escape, Triss swears she'll return to free the slaves. Simultaneously, a badger lord's son and two friends set off on their own adventure and of course both parties meet up at Redwall Abbey whose occupants are currently battling a three-headed adder snake that is terrorizing the local Mossflower woods. When the ferrets of Riftgard follow the escaped slaves, all the story lines of the badger, the slaves, the ferrets, the Abbey, and the snakes tangles up into one plot and the excitement is unbelievable!
Two problems with this story involving characters:
1. The Abbeybabes of Redwall: These tiny terrors are a headache to read. They're running here, they're running there, and they're getting into everything. And, you can't understand a word they are saying:
"Burr, straight in ee barff oi apposes" (82).
"It not fair! Roobil be a molebabe an' 'im gotta likkle tail, but I bee's a mousebabe wiv a long tail. Not fair, Farver Habbit" (110).
And so it continues, but even these tykes cannot compare to the horridness of the character Scarum the hare.
2. Scarum is a gluttonous, lying, proud hare who goes with the badger and an otter to have adventures far from home. He is constantly eating everything and gets into the most horrible trouble. The Abbeybabes couldn't have a chance in competing with him. He's smug and lazy, and I cannot stand him!!! Oh, and he won't shut up!
"You, sah, are a flippin' grubswiper, a pirate! Huh, deprivin' a poor young 'un like me vittles. You'll stunt my growth. I'm warning you, if I die, it'll be your rotten fault" (46).
"Might have for you rotten lot, but it took quite a bit out of me, wastin' my artistic an' poetic talents on a pack o' soup-guzzlin' buffoons, wot. I say there, Furrel, you charmin' molemaid, keep pourin'. This blinkin' beaker's only half full - keep goin', me pretty one" (333).
"I, er, spotted it in the kitchen an' just took a small nibble, nothin' too drastic, wot... Yes, sah, barely a smidgen. Don't know what happened to the rest of the confounded trifle. I expect those moles guzzled it. Small types, but incredibly greedy, those molechaps..." (345).
That hare drives me bonkers. I practically skimmed through his parts because I didn't want to read whatever lies he was currently saying. I found him neither funny nor cute and his floundering about ruined the book a bit for me.
Overall, it's not the best Redwall book in my opinion. However, it is a good read and gives you some nice Redwall history that I and some other folks enjoy learning. The ending was very majestic and one of the good creatures dies in an honorable, moving scene. It was nearly tear-inducing!

Works cited: Jacques, Brian. Triss: A Tale from Redwall.
New York: Penguin Group, Inc, 2002. Print.

*Triss* by Brian Jacques is an adventurous and heartwarming installment in the *Redwall* series. The story follows Triss, a brave young squirrel, who escapes captivity from the tyrannical wildcat, Raggan Wulf. Triss, along with a group of companions including a courageous hare, a skilled mole, and a wise mouse, embarks on a dangerous journey to free her homeland and defeat the forces of evil. Along the way, they encounter numerous challenges, both physical and emotional, that test their courage and resolve.

The novel explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the battle between good and evil. With richly developed characters and detailed settings, *Triss* immerses readers in the familiar world of Redwall Abbey, where honor and heroism thrive. As the characters face betrayals, battles, and personal growth, the book highlights the importance of teamwork and perseverance in overcoming adversity.

Brian Jacques’ masterful world-building and action-packed narrative ensure that *Triss* is a gripping adventure for fans of the *Redwall* series and newcomers alike. The vivid descriptions of the characters’ quests, coupled with their emotional depth, make *Triss* a memorable and rewarding read for readers of all ages.

Triss is a really great book. I love how each book has those mysteries like the Riftgard translation. A thing I liked about it was that I could write down the key (once they showed it) and so translate any Riftgard code. I love the plot twists in every book and I think this is a very good book. Or, as the evil pure ferrets would say ‘‘Dis a ver’ good bo’k.’’ Please stop by at Redwall with me in the land of books.

This book seemed to follow a similar pattern to Taggerung. It was still a good break from the standard story format but wasn't quite as good as Taggerung. I thought it was leading into a sequel but ended up finishing the story in the epilogue. Pretty good characters and interesting story.